A Deeper Look
---- Vollista Outpost Landing Deck :This massive round pad is suspended over the sheer gray mountainside. Wind whistles around the weathered structure, which shows little evidence of recent, consistent use. A protective railing serves as a meager barrier to the panoramic view of the rocky mountains that the outpost clings to. Far below and sprawling along the base of the peaks, a rich growth of navy blue pine trees covers like a blanket. A small lake is also noticable among the pine forest immediately below the outpost, reflecting the green-tinted sunlight. The sky itself is a tumult of green plasma tentacles, wrapping across the sky like a fantastic spaceborne highway with the flaring emerald star of Volir at the center. :A small structure has been built of the rough gray stone of the mountainside. It stands near the stairway which pierces the protective railing and leads down the mountain. Through its thick plastic windows several Vollistans can be seen; they politely check to be side no visitors to the planet carry psi blockers with small handheld devices they carry. ---- Volissenait is just arriving on the pad. He seems to be walking slightly slower than normal, and may look a bit more cautious. Volouscheur pads down the ramp of the Haste, wearing a thicker robe. She doesn't seem to have noticed Nait just yet. Scheur would feel Nait searching before she saw him. He seems concerned, and doesn't speak, and continues probing around Scheur's mind. Volouscheur stiffens as she reaches the bottom of the ramp. Her mind is shielded well enough that Nait can't really tell much beyond that there doesn't seem to be a link this time. She returns with a mildly perturbed ~What...?~ A frown appears on Nait's face as he continues searching, but he says nothing yet. Scheur continues to manage to keep Nait on the outside of her shields. She peers in his direction, ~You sensed there's no link right now. Now quit it.~ ~I can not tell if there is a link or not, stop defending it~ Nait says, continuing in his attempts to probe her mind. And...hmm, maybe Nait ought to take lessons from Scheur - or whoever taught her - in mind shielding, since he /still/ can't get through. Strands of ruddy orange wind around her, ~There isn't. And it's a touch difficult to defend something that's not there.~ She turns and stalks back up the ramp, mentally grumbling as she goes. Volissenait is still by the outskirts of the pad. Volouscheur walks out of the Haste's airlock, padding down the ramp quietly. Her aura glows dark green and she's wearing an over-robe. As soon as Scheur steps off the ship, she'd feel the probing again. And once again, Nait doesn't say a word. Volouscheur looks over in the direction of the probing, ~The link is there this time, uncle.~ She shifts her shields /just/ enough to show that, yep, there is a link this time. Other than that, though, Nait's still having no luck getting in through Scheur's shields - in fact, he didn't even get through this time, she let him peek briefly. ~Do we leave today?~ is said flatly. Nait doesn't acknowledge either the fact that Scheur told him, or let him see it. ---- IND Saviour's Haste Intercom Broadcast -------------------------- Ruin -- >>>> From the IND Saviour's Haste's Hatch Intercom < : Doesn't seem likely. Possible, but not likely. Volouscheur nods to the cockpit, ~Like the Captain said.~ Volissenait doesn't seem startled by the Haste's response this time, but he still doesn't seem to like it. ~I will return, later~ he says just as flatly, but he doesn't move, yet. Instead, he gives Scheur a long, hard, slightly menacing looking stare, before turning it onto the Haste. Volouscheur peers back at Nait, seeming puzzled by the hostility. Indeed, there's a general 'the hell?' feeling coming off of her, the female Vollistan's aura glowing apricot. for action Volissenait turns around, black cloak twirling as he does so, then, he stops. He turns his head to the side, eyes still menacing ~Do not leave without me~ he says. Volouscheur continues peering after Nait. ~We're not going anywhere without you.~ Nait continues standing in the same position, before, a slight barely detecable nod is given. He turns his head back to face forward, obscures his face by lifting the hood of the cloak, and begins his walk towards the shuttles. He could still be stopped though, if Scheur wished to do so. Volouscheur moves to do just that, heading after Nait, ~Uncle. Can we talk?~ Volissenait stops, he seems to consider something for a moment, before saying ~Cancel the link~ Volouscheur inclines her head to Nait. And then there's an almost physical 'click' as the link is closed. Nait is silent, still standing, looking away from Scheur. Volouscheur's comm crackles briefly and she taps something into the little keyboard that's attached to it. She looks at Nait quietly, ~So, uncle? Can we talk?~ Volouscheur speaks into her commlink. ~What is it you wish to talk about?~ comes the reply. Volouscheur shrugs, ~What ever you're willing to talk about.~ ~That depends on the questions you ask~ Nait says, still flat. Volouscheur shrugs, ~You can ask questions too, y'know.~ Another shrug, ~How 'bout we start with something fairly simple? What's your favorite colour?~ A small, psionic chuckle can be heard ~I have no use for such trivial things as colors~ ~Why not,~ Scheur asks. ~It is not needed, therefore, it has no use~ replies Nait. Volouscheur blinks at Nait, a feeling of confusion radiating from her as her aura shimmers apricot again. ~But how can it not be needed?~ ~How can it be needed?~ Nait replies. A basic difference of viewpoint here. Scheur is, at heart, an artist. Sometimes, she expresses her art through music or writing...but she's as adept with a paintbrush or a drawing pencil as she is with musical instruments and pen-and-paper. She, quite literally, does not understand how someone /can't/ need colour. Volouscheur gives Nait a blank look, ~How can it /not/ be needed?~ ~My line of work does not require it, therefore, it is not needed~ Nait explains. Volouscheur blinks quietly at Nait, ~But thoughts, feelings, are still expressed with colour, aren't they?~ for action Another psionic laugh from Nait, it sounds kinda creepy though ~Do you see an aura? Thoughts and feelings do not need to be expressed~ Volouscheur says calmly, ~Yes, they do.~ Her aura has shifted to matte green. ~Do you see an aura?~ Nait repeats ~I do not feel the need to express my emotions, so I do not~ Volouscheur blinks at Nait quietly, ~But doesn't it feel...weird, not glowing?~ ~No. It does not.~ Nait replies. Volouscheur asks, ~Did it, once?~ Like yesterday, the male Vollistan reaches up and clasps his head, however, the screaming psionic screaming doesn't start yet, but something akin to a low, psionic groan can be heard. Volouscheur is standing a couple steps away from the Haste's ramp. Nait is not too far away, clutching at his head and uttering a low groan, telepathically. Scheur's aura flickers cyan, the female Vollistan biting her bottom lip and stretching a hand out towards her uncle. The groan increases in volume until it is in fact a scream, loud enough to hurt any humans on the Haste, but not enough to give Scheur a nosebleed yet. Nait crumples down on the ground again, still clutching at his head. Voliast speaks into his commlink. Voliast, who's obviously inside Scheur's head like usual, moves off of the ramp slowly. His medical bag is in hand, as he walks toward the pair where they stand. Voliast's brow quirks at the shout, though he easily tunes it out when it starts toward too loud. Reaching to snatch back Scheur's hand and prevent her grabbing for her uncle, the doctor studies the mentally screaming man quietly. Volouscheur winces as Nait starts to scream. She calls to Iast, ~What should /I/ do, for that matter?~ She winces again as Iast pulls her hand back. The screaming begins to die down, but Nait still looks like he's in a lot of mental pain. Voliast looks at Scheur, frowning faintly. His own glow is becoming blacker around the edges, but predominantly green in center. Nothing else for it. A quick blow, the equivalent of a mental slap to one's senses, is offered. Really it's a loud telepathic shout in return which only 'Nait would hear or feel. What follows is the tall doctor interposing himself between Nait and Scheur, and intoning to Scheur: "Go back to the ship." Volouscheur shakes her head at Iast, standing her ground and bluntly refusing to budge. The screams die off, but the mental slap doesn't seem to help Nait either, he crumples up a bit more, his grip around his head tightens, his fingernails dig into the sides of his head, specks of magenta begining to show. Volouscheur frowns at Iast as the results of the mental slap are shown. She steps towards Nait, intending to pull his hands away from his head, to keep him from harming himself like this. And, it is at this point that the doctor backs off, quietly. He does mentally send private waves of assurance and apology Scheur's way, but he's tensed. The instant the blood is drawn, a small roll of herbal gauze leaps to Voliast's hand from an inner pocket, but is not yet employed. Instead, he waits in silence, though never more than a foot behind Scheur as she moves forward, but definitively behind. His aura is a suppressed green. Volissenait doesn't seem to react to the other Vollistans closing in on him. His fingernails dig a bit deeper in, drawing more magenta. Volouscheur kneels beside Nait, one of her hands touching his gently. She tries to pull his hand away from his head, ~You're going to hurt yourself like that, uncle.~ Voliast looks up for a moment, still apprehensively watching, but inches forward, quietly offering a small pot of minor abrasion salve to Scheur over her shoulder. "See if you can get him to put it on the marks. If they're drawing blood, they must sting a little." He adds only telepathically to Scheur, ~Plus, it might be able to help break the problem with you getting close, by showing essentiality and building trust, maybe?~ Volissenait rebels at Scheur's touch, he tries to scramble away again, crying out ~No!~ psionically, although for once, it doesn't sound angry, it's more, pitiful than anything else. Volouscheur takes the pot of salve and lets go of Nait's hand when he tries to pull away. The salve is set down within Nait's reach, Scheur "shh"ing softly at him. Voliast shifts, dropping down from his considerable height to a relative kneel, and looking cautiously at Nait, his attention entirely on the receding Vollistan. Volissenait apparently regains control of himself, taking his finger nails out of his head, but it isn't the side the other Vollistans were hoping for back in control. Nait knocks the pot of salve over ~No~ is said firmly. Well, fortunately, the salve isn't about to spill. Not quickly, anyways. Scheur rights the pot and takes it back. ~But you're hurt,~ she points out calmly. ~Why 'no'?~ Voliast remains as quiet as ever, still focused on Nait in case he tries anything. ~Indeed, it's quite harmless. If you need proof, should one of us rub some on ourselves? It'll stop the stinging.~ ~I don't want it, not from /you/~ Nait says, but it's not as strong or as menacing as just before. He's managed to roll onto his side, proping himself up with an elbow. Volouscheur blinks quietly at Nait, ~Why not?~ She remains where she is, just watching Nait quietly. Voliast sits back on the landing pad floor, remaining where he is and quirking a brow at the laconic exchange. Volissenait glares at the two near him ~I do not need your sympathy~ he says, magenta streamers racing down the side of his head, framing his face. ~I can understand you objecting to pity. But why sympathy,~ Scheur continues to ask. Some of the Haste's security cameras stop their standard sweep, and start focusing on something that, surprisingly, is not Nait. Voliast sits up suddenly, tapping his commlink, and taking his mental "sights" off of Nait for the moment. His eyes go unfocused, and suddenly the doctor's on his feet, looking back and forth between the cliff wall near the Haste, and Scheur's uncle. He pauses in place, and transmits telepathically toward the Haste: ~Ruin. Interrogators, the ones I didn't get. Not ones from the council... you can feel the shred in their minds and the world around them, just like our subjectively sane compatriot out here. Be wary. I can handle them, but they're heading for the ship, and I can't leave Scheur or her uncle alone right here right now!~ He would sound quite panicked. From the area toward which the cameras are focusing, there rapidly come three moving shadows. Apparently they know where the turret weaponry is, because the three darkly-dressed, seven-foot-tall figures are moving at a long-legged gait underneath the ship, and out of range of its weapons. They're careful to stay close to it, though likely easily in view now, they're hooded, or masked in some way, and heading for the Haste's ramp at a rapid clip. Voliast looks apprehensively around, apparently frozen for the moment, aura black. The guns shift and turn, focusing on the three strangers. A shot is fired. Volissenait doesn't seem to notice the others yet, his attention is on Scheur ~Because I don't need any sympa-~ his thought is cut off by the guns firing, he looks over, eyes wide. The Haste's airlocks open and Ruin is standing in the doorway, a psi grenade in one hand and a stun gun in the other. "Nait!" he shouts. "If these bastards touch my ship you are NEVER getting off this planet!" he snaps, taking aim with the stun gun. His hand's in the ring of the psi grenade, so that if he falls the ring will pull. Volouscheur tenses as the hooded figures approach, aura flaring silver for a moment. It flattens to a very dark green after several moments, however. The Vollistan doctor looks apprehensively around, watching as the shot from the Haste is dodged by one of the approaching figures. He remains where he is, sneaking glances at 'Nait periodically. Meanwhile, Ruin fires, and his stunner shot drops one of the cloaked figures to the ground with a single stunner shot. The figure passes unconscious. Its compatriots look around briefly, but then the one closest to the Haste's ramp stares at Ruin, glances over toward Scheur, Voliast, and Volissenait, and says something incoherent in Volspak. He is attempting to force Volouscheur and Ruin's respective brains to send them into premature sleep cycle. The remaining figure runs for the ramp, having just narrowly evaded a pulse shot. Volissenait looks to Ruin, and then closes his eyes, focusing his mind and ramming it up against one of the remaining figures in an attempt to overload it. Leodhais comes bursting out of the Haste, one grenade in hand, stun gun in the other. Surprisingly enough, he's mentally calm, focused, and a not very nice smile on his face. "I'd stop if I were you," he says to the one approaching him. Voliast hears the quiet sound of the psi grenade being primed, and is thus loath to go any closer. Nonetheless, he drops to one knee and watches closely for an opening, apparently. His eyes do not stray from the figures to Nait, though he winces when Nait's psionic attack goes past. Nait's attack doesn't seem to do any good, apparently he wasn't too happy about taking orders from Ruin, and didn't really commit to it. This proved to be almost fatal, the hooded figure repels the blow, adding some additional force too it, and redirects it back at Nait. Nait lets out a psionic shriek, before it's cut off and his head lolls back, unconcious, and from the looks of it, he's not getting back up anytime soon. Leodhais aims the stun gun at the one nearest him and grins, though it looks more like a shark bearing its teeth than anything else, and pulls the trigger. The remaining foe, seeing things going badly for it, stoops heavily, and picks up the grenade, which it is about to disarm. Suddenly, it -hurls- the thing in Voliast's direction, just as the timer almost finishes ticking down, and then... explodes. Meanwhile, the one nearest Leodhais ducks out of sight behind the ramp, and the shuffling of feet can be heard. If this were a movie or a book, this would be the part where Scheur wakes up and swings back into action. Unfortunately, this is real life. There's no miracle awakening for Scheur. She's still out cold - and, if anyone can hear her, she's...is she snoring? Probably not, no. ---- Main Cabin :The main cabin is finely sculpted from reinforced plastics and trimmed with insets of ebony and mohagany. Twenty four coach passengers, twelve portside and twelve starboard, can be comfortably berthed in each tall leather padded seat, each placement outfitted with a minimonitor, commlink and dataport. At the bow, near the forward corridor, is a tall storage locker and emergency aid station. The central aisle leads aft, where a service niche houses a small galley and wet bar. Opposite the galley is the executive transport's hygiene unit. Light sifts down from linear fixtures hidden above the overhead cabinets and each seat has a private reading light. :A hatchway leads forward, while beyond the service niche is a second hatch leading further aft. ---- Leodhais comes back into the main cabin to check on the people he carried in a bit earlier. "Hmmm..." he goes around, checking on each of them, pausing by Scheur's bunk first. Volouscheur starts to stir, throwing one arm over her eyes and grumbling mentally. ~...what happened? How come my head hurts? Did they decide to just get us really drunk?~ Volouscheur blinks quietly. ~Oh. ...that explains why my head hurts, I guess.~ She yawns and then stretches, ~Is everyone else okay?~ "As far as I can tell," Leodhais says, smoothing her hair. "No external injuries that I can see...and I have to go out to stun those others, give me a moment." Leodhais disappears out of the cabin to check on the other Vollistans. Volouscheur nods quietly and stretches. She moves her arm onto her forehead, peering up at the ceiling quietly. She yawns again and then gets to her feet, padding over towards the packages that contain the Vollistans' tea. Leodhais comes back in roughly five minutes, and resumes checking on the still sleeping crew. "Hmm..." He glances over at Scheur. "You feel okay enough to be moving around Scheur?" Volouscheur nods, ~I've had worse headaches. I just need some tea and I'll be okay.~ She sets to making herself some tea. Leodhais grins to himself. "That's my theory," he says, peering at Iast. "Tea fixes everything." Volouscheur nods quietly, waiting for her cup of tea to be ready. Leodhais goes over to the galley and prepares himself a cup of tea as well, looking a bit worn out. "Wonder how long I have to keep at stunning them...?" Volouscheur blinks, murmuring, ~...we have to stop?~ She shrugs, taking her cup of tea and sipping at it. ~Probably, until after Iast's up and functioning again.~ Leodhais nods. "I suppose so," he says quietly, setting a strainer over a mug. Volouscheur sips at her tea quietly, sitting back down on her bunk. There's dull white around her temples, but otherwise her aura is matte green. Leodhais glances over at her, taking a sip of his own tea once it's steeped. "Head really hurts?" for action Volouscheur shrugs, ~It's not that bad. It's just, Iast or Nait or Ruin might be hurt. So I need to be able to think clearly, if I'm going to heal them.~ Leodhais nods. "I can't do much for them, unfortunately, so I'll do whatever I can for you," he says quietly. Volouscheur sips at her tea and nods, ~Hopefully, Iast'll be okay. There'll be two of us able to work, if he is.~ Leodhais takes several deep swallows of his tea. "I'm hoping for the best for him." for action Volouscheur nods quietly, ~What happened after I was put to sleep?~ She continues to sip at her tea quietly. "I'm not sure when you were..." Leodhais looks embarrassed, his ears turning bright pink. "I...I actually am not too sure...I know I went out there, and people were on the ground, and I pulled a trigger and...then I took you all inside." Volouscheur nods quietly, ~Ah. Okay then.~ She shrugs, ~Maybe when Iast or Ruin wake up, they can tell us.~ She finishes her tea and stretches, putting her cup away. ~I probably ought to go see how everyone is, now.~ Leodhais smiles briefly at her. "I better go make sure those vollistans are still knocked out. Don't overdo it, okay?" Volouscheur nods and smiles back at Leodh, ~I'll be careful.~ She stands and then asks, ~Where are Iast and Nait?~ "Nait is outside still. Iast is in the bunk over there," Leodhais says pointing as he leaves. Volouscheur nods and drops a kiss on Iast's forehead before heading out to the ramp, ~I'll go bring Nait inside, then.~ Nait's still out on the ramp. His face is contorted, probably in pain. Scheur would sense that his mind, while normally messed up, is /much/ more messed up than normal. She could probably also sense that his mind shields aren't working too well, which leaves him open, and exposed. Volouscheur kneels beside Nait, moving to pick him up gently. She pauses as she senses how battered his shields are...and then continues on with what she was doing. Volissenait moves like a body, completely non-responsive. Little known fact: Militia members get training for picking up and carrying wounded or unconcious team members. Scheur knows how to handle Nait - and, interestingly, has the strength to do so, too. She picks him up, carrying him into the Haste. Volissenait is still just as unresponsive, hanging limply in Scheur's arms. Volouscheur carries Nait through the Haste, heading towards the main cabin. She shifts him so that he's at least comfortable in her arms and isn't about to wake up with a sore neck. Sore neck? That's the least of Nait's worries, more like waking up in the first place. He still is unresponsive. Volouscheur sets Nait down on one of the empty bunks, making sure he's comfortable before settling down beside him. Only then does she begin to peek inside those wavering shields of his. The first images Scheur sees, are disturbing. The scene is thus, a Zangali is strapped securely onto a hard table, a Nall stands it's three or so feet nearby, apparently directing Nait. There's a slow blink from the Vollistan as he nears the Zangali, who is stoicly trying to stare him down. This doesn't last for long. In a moment, Nait's mind is inside the Zangali's, searching for something. Suddenly, it's found, a location, of some rebel compound. Suddenly, it's torn from the the Zangali's mind, leaving a trail of pain. The Zangali convulses on the table as a slow smile can be felt spreading on Nait's face. That's the most disturbing part, he enjoyed it, and why it's on the top of his mind? It's what he's longing for, again. Volouscheur shivers quietly, but continues looking. She starts to work her way a little deeper, moving carefully. Leodhais comes back in from stunning the Vollistans from the next go round, looking more worn out than before. The next images that float to the top? Rathenhope, strapped to that same table. Nait imagines himself towering over the human, tearing up his mind, ripping bits and pieces out carefully, sending shockwaves of pain through the man. A scream emits from the Rath's mouth as Nait tears more and more forcefully from him. When shock eventually sets in, and the man begins convulsing, his misery is finally finished as Nait envolps his mind, and snuffs it out. However, something else shines up through the dark memories, it appears far away, though. Pushed back, repressed. Volouscheur continues to move deeper, starting to head towards that repressed portion. Leodhais blinks at the two of them, a little frown on his face. "I'm going to check on Ruin," he murmurs softly, trying not to intterupt. As the dark memories and thoughts speed by, the repressed portion gets closer and closer, until finally, a new type of memory appears. The first one, is a mixture, it's happy, but still dark. It shows Nait, surrounded by his cave and family, some younger ones Scheur might recognize. Its...Nait's birthday, his tenth, apparently. And he's happy, he grins up at his primary mother, and then it happened. Nall. They entered into the cavern, snatched up Nait, and left with him. His family stands by helplessly as he is dragged off. One family member tries to interfer, and is killed before they get a few steps. Volouscheur shivers again, working on auto-pilot physically. She reaches out to take one of Nait's hands and squeeze it lightly, offering comfort as she continues to make her way deeper inside. category: OtherSpace Logs category: Social logs